EVA: Shinji Ikari Returns from Tiga

Chapter 67 Distant Stars

"What a nice view…"

Third New Tokyo City, suburbs...humid grassland.

A faint smell of rust could still be smelled in the air, the lingering smell of the Eighth Apostle's blood.

"You two, it's really okay, right?"

The three of them lay on their backs on the green grass, feeling the firmness of the earth and the fragrance of the soil.

"It's okay, it's okay. It's just the pain I feel in sync with the EVA. I'm not really burned... It will be fine after I cut off the circuit."

"Well, it's okay."

In response to Shinji Ikari's worried question, the red and white girls gave affirmative answers.

"Instead of worrying about these useless things, look at this—idiot Shinji! Normally, Tokyo is brightly lit, but you can't enjoy such a beautiful starry sky!"

Asuka, lying between Shinji Ikari and Rei Ayanami...broadened her face with a smile as pure and innocent as a newborn baby, and gazed at the vast starry sky with joy.

"Yes, after all, artificial neon lights have taken away the brightness of the night. Under the illumination of artificial light... even the brilliance of the stars seems so dim."

Shinji Ikari said this with a faint smile, but his eyes never left Asuka's cheek.

It seemed that the eyes of the girl, so close and within reach, were even more dazzling than the twinkling stars in the sky.

"Hey! Stupid Shinji! I told you to look at the stars! Why are you staring at me?"

As if she had found her favorite constellation, Asuka turned around happily to talk to Shinji Ikari, but unexpectedly their eyes met...

Asuka blushed instantly when she realized that her childish play had been seen by Shinji Ikari.

"But... in the dark—it still feels a little unsettling."

Unexpectedly, it was Rei Ayanami who suddenly interrupted the conversation.

"Immersed in pitch-black darkness, unable to even sense the presence of others close at hand... this unknown breeds fear and crushes the soul."

"what…"

Asuka's expression froze for a moment... because she thought of her ugly appearance during the day.

The moment the power went out, the moment I was swallowed by darkness... my heart was swallowed by an inexplicable and overwhelming fear, and I almost lost the strength to stand... Fortunately, Rei Ayanami was always by my side, so I recovered.

"...I'll say it again, Ali...thank you for today."

"No, I should be the one thanking you... I wanted you, Asuka, not to get hurt when we were fighting the Angels, but you ended up getting hurt like me."

"Haha... yeah. If I'd known that whoever got in would be sprayed all over by that disgusting giant spider, I would have just gone for it right away. You and I have been arguing for so long, like idiots."

It seems that Asuka has really recovered very well... Even if the day's events are mentioned again, she can face them calmly. If this is the case, can I...

"Asuka, can I ask...what happened to you during the day?"

Shinji Ikari asked tentatively, without directly throwing out any sensitive keywords.

Asuka paused and confirmed each other's eyes... Knowing that there was only pure concern for her in Shinji Ikari's eyes, Asuka also apologized seriously.

"...Sorry, it wasn't that I meant to hide it... I just really didn't know."

“…Is that so?”

As expected, it's not that easy... It doesn't seem like she's pretending or hiding anything at all. Maybe... Asuka herself doesn't even realize it.

"If I had to describe it... the moment I was swallowed by darkness and both of you vanished from my sight—it was as if I were back in a dark, narrow place... People were coming to kill me from all sides... I was so terrified that I couldn't move."

"... "

Shinji Ikari frowned. I wondered if Asuka herself had noticed that the verb she used when she said this was... "return."

"But, I don't feel that way right now... I don't know why, even though it's pitch black all around. Maybe..."

Asuka raised her head again and gazed at the distant stars.

"Maybe it's the starlight, being able to see both of your faces—just realizing you're both by my side makes me no longer afraid."

"…! I can't believe Asuka would say that…"

"No... No way! I know this kind of flowery dialogue isn't for me! I'd better leave it to the invincible Ikari Shinji-sama! Seriously!"

Speaking of this, Asuka suddenly remembered... what she wanted to say to Shinji Ikari.

"Shinji, thank you so much for today."

"...?"

Shinji Ikari was completely confused. Today... he had left Asuka with Rei Ayanami and gone to the underground Final Dogma area. Later, when they were fighting the Angels, he had deliberately not intervened... No matter how he thought about it, there was nothing worth Asuka thanking him for.

"--An inextinguishable enthusiasm. Compassion for others, helping each other. These are what you taught me... Today, if you hadn't told me these, maybe... I would have messed everything up again." Asuka smiled with relief... because she knew that relying on her own strength... it was impossible to destroy the Eighth Angel.

If I hadn't remembered the story Shinji Ikari told me at that time, I would have really had the chance to hurt Rei Ayanami... I would have personally shaken off Rei Ayanami's friendly hand and become isolated again... Then I would have gone it alone without any teamwork, and in the end, I and Unit-00 would have been defeated one by one.

It seems like such a stupid thing now, but why couldn't I control my surging emotions at that time?

“………………Is that so? Did I help you?”

Shinji Ikari was stunned for a moment. He didn't expect that the spirit he conveyed could actually touch the heart of this girl.

"Yeah! Thanks to you, I can be so friendly with Rei... Wow!"

Asuka suddenly screamed. It turned out that when Ayanami Rei heard her name, she held Asuka's hand from the right.

"…Um?"

She tilted her head cutely, as if she didn't understand why Asuka reacted so strongly.

"That's enough! I've fully recovered... I don't need any of this anymore!"

"Wow! You guys seem to have had a very fulfilling day today."

"certainly not!"

“Yeah.”

Asuka and Ayanami Rei responded to the same question with completely different attitudes.

"Then... Ikari-kun, do you want to try it?"

As she spoke, Rei Ayanami opened her arms towards Shinji Ikari, inviting him to try it.

"Asuka said it was soft and comfortable..."

"Waaaaaa! No no no no! You, you might as well do it behind my back... but in front of me! What the hell are you doing? You're so heartless that you kill people!!"

Before Shinji Ikari could react, Asuka jumped up first... and forcefully disrupted Rei Ayanami's hug.

Enjoying this moment of bliss that makes him dizzy... Shinji Ikari wants to take advantage of the current atmosphere to ask... about the things he must face.

"Asuka, can I ask you a question?"

"Huh? What's the problem?"

Asuka still had a faint smile on her lips, which made Shinji Ikari hesitate... He was really afraid that the moment he asked this question... the beautiful atmosphere of the night would be ruined.

Because the question is—

Asuka, do you know the name... 'Soryu Asuka Langley'?

"...What's wrong, idiot Shinji... Don't you have a question for me? Why are you frozen in silence? Ah, are you captivated by my beauty?"

…As expected, I still can’t ask.

Although I know that the easiest and quickest way to understand is to start with the person in front of me... Shikinami Asuka Langley.

But - if this smile on Jiaye's face at this moment were to disappear before my eyes... I would rather never know the truth.

"Ah... almost. Even though it's dark... with the starlight, I can still see your face clearly... it's really beautiful."

“!?@%&@#……&&!!?!?”

A high-speed super-straight pitch hits Asuka's defense, and she's instantly defeated! Strikeout!!
“You, you, you, you… why, don’t you suddenly say such shameful things!!!”

Even though Asuka's heart was beating so fast that she was about to faint and her head was almost steaming... Shinji Ikari raised his head and looked at the distant stars.

"Asuka, Ayanami... tell me, why do the stars always stand at the highest point in the sky?"

"…Huh? Stupid Shinji, are you pretending to be a poet?"

"philosophy?"

The sudden topic left the two girls a little confused.

“…The phone rang.”

At this moment, in Tokyo-3... the extinguished lights were rekindled.

The old day ends, and a new day begins... Ikari Gendo and the others will definitely not ignore the commotion caused by Kaji Ryoji yesterday...

Perhaps what awaits me...will be an even more complex storm...but please allow yourself, even if it's only tonight...

——Enjoy a moment of peace, warmth and joy.

"Asuka, Rei... Let's go. Back to... our home—"

(End of this chapter)